As the Brotherhood got down to business, he found himself putting his hand on the dog’s big head and stroking the soft fur…playing with an ear…dipping down and finding the long waves that flowed from the animal’s broad, strong chest. Not that any of that meant he was keeping the the animal, of course. It just felt nice, was all.

Indeed, Xcor stayed away for the wrong reason, the bad reason, an unacceptable reason—in spite of all his training, he found himself choosing Throe’s life over ambition: His anger had taken him in one direction, but his regret had led him in another. And the latter one was what won out.

I wish to be naked before you," she commanded. "Make it so, Manuel.

"Say the word, Qhuinn. Do it and I'll spend the night with you.""Better yet, why don't you just kiss me..."

Just once" Blay said softly. "Do it just once. So I'll know what it's like.

...When it was finished, the scaled dragon looked around and as the thing spotted V, a growl rippled up to the bleachers, then ended in a snort. "You finished, big guy?" Va called down. "FYI, goalpost over there would work righteous as a toothpick.

What happened to you?" she asked. "I got hit in the side." "With what?" "A knife.